Ladder shoes are used to provide increased stability to a ladder during use. The shoes typically have a flat portion with a foot pad which engages a flat support surface such as a road, driveway, floor, etc. The shoes also have a blade portion which extend in parallel with the flat portion such that when the ladder shoes are in a position where the blade portion aligns with the ladder rail, the blade portion can penetrate a relatively softer support surface, such as dirt or grass to better anchor the ladder. Heretofore, ladders did not have the blade portion part of a one-piece base for the ladder that also had a pocket which held and protected the foot pad.